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Almo Expo Attendance Up 14%

Philadelphia - CE and majap distributor Almo Corp. reported a 13.6 percent increase in average attendance this year at its 2011 Expo Series trade show and training events.

The multi-city series kicked off here in May and concluded late last month in Minneapolis. The regional tradeshows and training expositions feature hands-on access to new products, trend and technology seminars, product training, door-buster show specials, one-on-one manufacturer meetings, and peer networking events.

"A double digit increase in a lagging economy is indicative of our customers' need to continue to evolve by adding high-demand categories like tablet PC's as well as increasing their market reach through new avenues like social media," said Almo president and chief operating officer Warren Chaiken. "Each year we adjust our agenda to include these hot-button informational sessions and this year we're taking it a step farther by adding an on-going webinar series to keep them informed throughout the year."

An average of 200 to 300 dealers, e-tailers, custom installers and system integrators attended each day-long expo location, where they could shop over 40 manufacturers including Samsung, Sharp, Panasonic, Philips, Coby, Monster, Frigidaire and Bosch, and attend over 15 training sessions throughout the day on topics such as social media and basket-filling techniques.

"With the current economic conditions, business is harder to come by and the competition is fierce," observed Jack Halperin, Almo's senior VP, dealer channel sales. "The Expo Series provides a very targeted venue where dealers walk away with ideas on how to gain a competitive edge in their local market. The increase in dealer attendance we saw this year across all our Expo's, especially in the product/technology trainings, tells us dealers are hungry to win, and it is a testament to the fortitude they have toward staying successfully in the game. We're thrilled that we were able to continue to provide this valuable service with the support of our manufacturer partners, and we're already planning further enhancements to the 2012 series."

This year also marks the 65th anniversary of the Philadelphia-based distributor, which provides major appliances, consumer electronics and professional A/V equipment nationwide through 10 regional distribution facilities with over 1 million square feet of warehousing.